Discover the wealthiest and most influential figures in cryptocurrency with our list of the top 10 billionaires of 2024!
- The crypto business expanded dramatically in 2024, with the market valuation of crypto assets nearly tripling and the number of crypto billionaires increasing by 95%.
- This boom has resulted in the emergence of several new crypto billionaires, with Changpeng Zhao, the founder of Binance, staying the richest person in crypto.
- Experts expect that the cryptocurrency sector will continue to develop in the next years.
A crypto billionaire is someone who has amassed more than $1 billion in net worth through crypto enterprises or crypto investments. What distinguishes them is their daring in embracing the risk of entering a burgeoning business plagued by various hurdles, including severe volatility and regulatory uncertainty.
Crypto Market Boom in 2024
A crypto billionaire is someone who has made more than $1 billion in net worth from cryptocurrency businesses or investments. What differentiates them is their willingness to take on the risk of entering a thriving company fraught with challenges such as high volatility and regulatory uncertainty.
Changpeng Zhao
Changpeng Zhao, the founder of Binance, is the richest crypto millionaire, valued $65.4 billion. Zhao entered the cryptocurrency field after working for organizations such as Bloomberg and Blockchain.com. In 2017, he created Binance, which grew to become one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges.
Despite experiencing legal troubles this year, including a four-month prison sentence and a $50 million fine for breaking US banking regulations, Zhao was freed in September and continues to be a dominating player in the sector.
Brian Armstrong
Brian Armstrong, co-founder of prominent cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, has a net worth of $12.1 billion, ranking second on the list. He worked as a software engineer earlier in his career. He has worked for various major IT companies, including IBM and Airbnb. His destiny was altered when he co-founded Coinbase in 2012. In mid-2021, his firm was listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange.
With a trading volume of $2,236,072,410, Coinbase is the most popular cryptocurrency exchange in the United States.
Giancarlo Devasini
Giancarlo Devasini, co-founder of Bitfinex and Tether, is third on the list, with a net worth of more than $9.2 billion. Devasini’s wealth is mostly derived from his investments in Tether, the third-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, and Bitfinex, a prominent exchange. He apparently owns over 47% of Tether, which contributes significantly to his large fortune.
Michael Saylor
Michael Saylor, co-founder of MicroStrategy, is ranked fourth with a net worth of $9 billion. Saylor is well-known for his aggressive Bitcoin buying technique, which has proven successful as Bitcoin’s value has risen in 2024.MicroStrategy presently owns approximately 444,000 BTC, making them the largest public holder of Bitcoin. Saylor’s 9.9% ownership in the firm is likewise increasing in value as Bitcoin prices climb.
Chris Larsen
Chris Larsen, the co-founder of Ripple Labs, is ranked fifth with a $8 billion net worth. Larsen’s wealth has been built on Ripple’s XRP coin, which is the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization at $128,422,395,294. Ripple is a market leader in blockchain-based payment systems, and the success of XRP adds considerably to Larsen’s riches.
Fred Ehrsam
With a net worth of $3.4 billion, Fred Ehrsam, an Ethereum co-founder, is ranked sixth on the list. Ehrsam’s true crypto odyssey began in 2012, when he co-founded Coinbase. He had previously worked as a trader in Goldman Sachs’ foreign exchange business.
In 2017, he departed the Coinbase team to launch Paradigm, a cryptocurrency venture capital business. According to reports, the venture capital business has more than $8 billion in assets under management in initiatives including Uniswap and Flashbots.
Barry Silbert
Barry Silbert, founder of Digital Currency Group, ranks seventh with a net worth of $3.2 billion. Silbert, a former investment banker, played an important role in Bitcoin’s early acceptance through his investment vehicle, BIT. His business, Digital Currency Group, has emerged as a prominent participant in the cryptocurrency investing industry.
Jed McCaleb
Jed McCaleb, a major role behind Mt. Gox, Ripple, and Stellar, is ranked eighth with a net worth of $2.9 billion. McCaleb was active with Mt. Gox, the first major Bitcoin exchange, before joining Ripple as a co-founder. After quitting Ripple in 2014, he founded Stellar, a rival of Ripple. The sale of his original 9 billion XRP coins has increased his wealth.
Winklevoss Twins
Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, the well-known twins behind Gemini, have a net worth of $2.7 billion and rank ninth. The twins rose to prominence in 2009 after filing a lawsuit against Mark Zuckerberg, claiming he stole their idea for Facebook. They obtained a $65 million settlement and invested it in Bitcoin. Later, they launched the Gemini exchange, which has helped them increase their fortune.
Devin Finzer
Devin Finzer, co-founder of OpenSea, ranks tenth with a net worth of $2.2 billion. Finzer joined the cryptocurrency world in 2017 with the introduction of OpenSea, an NFT marketplace that is expected to develop significantly by 2021. Finzer’s success with OpenSea has propelled him into the ranks of the world’s top cryptocurrency millionaires.
The Future of Crypto Billionaires
With the cryptocurrency business expected to develop even more rapidly in the future years, we may see more billionaires emerge through new initiatives and investments. Names such as Alex Atallah, Kim Hyoung-Nyon, Nikil Viswanathan, and Joe Lau are now generating headlines and may soon join the ranks of top crypto millionaires.
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